[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 125 (Tuesday, October 10, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H9532-H9535]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LUPUS RESEARCH AND CARE AMENDMENTS OF 2000
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 762) to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for
research and services with respect to lupus, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 762
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Lupus Research and Care
Amendments of 2000''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) lupus is a serious, complex, inflammatory, autoimmune
disease of particular concern to women;
(2) lupus affects women 9 times more often than men;
(3) there are 3 main types of lupus: systemic lupus, a
serious form of the disease that affects many parts of the
body; discoid lupus, a form of the disease that affects
mainly the skin; and drug-induced lupus caused by certain
medications;
(4) lupus can be fatal if not detected and treated early;
(5) the disease can simultaneously affect various areas of
the body, such as the skin, joints, kidneys, and brain, and
can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms of lupus
are similar to those of many other diseases;
(6) lupus disproportionately affects African-American
women, as the prevalence of the disease among such women is 3
times the prevalence among white women, and an estimated 1 in
250 African-American women between the ages of 15 and 65
develops the disease;
(7) it has been estimated that between 1,400,000 and
2,000,000 Americans have been diagnosed with the disease, and
that many more have undiagnosed cases;
(8) current treatments for the disease can be effective,
but may lead to damaging side effects;
(9) many victims of the disease suffer debilitating pain
and fatigue, making it difficult to maintain employment and
lead normal lives; and
(10) in fiscal year 1996, the amount allocated by the
National Institutes of Health for research on lupus was
$33,000,000, which is less than \1/2\ of 1 percent of the
budget for such Institutes.
TITLE I--RESEARCH ON LUPUS
SEC. 101. EXPANSION AND INTENSIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES.
Subpart 4 of part C of title IV of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285d et seq.) is amended by inserting
after section 441 the following section:
``lupus
``Sec. 441A. (a) In General.--The Director of the Institute
shall expand and intensify research and related activities of
the Institute with respect to lupus.
``(b) Coordination With Other Institutes.--The Director of
the Institute shall coordinate the activities of the Director
under subsection (a) with similar activities conducted by the
other national research institutes and agencies of the
National Institutes of Health to the extent that such
Institutes and agencies have responsibilities that are
related to lupus.
``(c) Programs for Lupus.--In carrying out subsection (a),
the Director of the Institute shall conduct or support
research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and to
find a cure for, lupus. Activities under such subsection
shall include conducting and supporting the following:
``(1) Research to determine the reasons underlying the
elevated prevalence of lupus in women, including African-
American women.
``(2) Basic research concerning the etiology and causes of
the disease.
``(3) Epidemiological studies to address the frequency and
natural history of the disease and the differences among the
sexes and among racial and ethnic groups with respect to the
disease.
``(4) The development of improved diagnostic techniques.
``(5) Clinical research for the development and evaluation
of new treatments, including new biological agents.
``(6) Information and education programs for health care
professionals and the public.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of
carrying out this section, there are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the
fiscal years 2001 through 2003.''.
TITLE II--DELIVERY OF SERVICES REGARDING LUPUS
SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM OF GRANTS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall in accordance with this title make grants to provide
for projects for the establishment, operation, and
coordination of effective and cost-efficient systems for the
delivery of essential services to individuals with lupus and
their families.
(b) Recipients of Grants.--A grant under subsection (a) may
be made to an entity only if the entity is a public or
nonprofit private entity, which may include a State or local
government; a public or nonprofit private hospital,
community-based organization, hospice, ambulatory care
facility, community health center, migrant health center, or
homeless health center; or other appropriate public or
nonprofit private entity.
(c) Certain Activities.--To the extent practicable and
appropriate, the Secretary shall ensure that projects under
subsection (a) provide services for the diagnosis and disease
management of lupus. Activities that the Secretary may
authorize for such projects may also include the following:
(1) Delivering or enhancing outpatient, ambulatory, and
home-based health and support services, including case
management and comprehensive treatment services, for
individuals with lupus; and delivering or enhancing support
services for their families.
(2) Delivering or enhancing inpatient care management
services that prevent unnecessary hospitalization or that
expedite discharge, as medically appropriate, from inpatient
facilities of individuals with lupus.
(3) Improving the quality, availability, and organization
of health care and support services (including transportation
services, attendant care, homemaker services, day or respite
care, and providing counseling on financial assistance and
insurance) for individuals with lupus and support services
for their families.
(d) Integration With Other Programs.--To the extent
practicable and appropriate, the Secretary shall integrate
the program under this title with other grant programs
carried out by the Secretary, including the program under
section 330 of the Public Health Service Act.
SEC. 202. CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.
A grant may be made under section 201 only if the applicant
involved makes the following agreements:
(1) Not more than 5 percent of the grant will be used for
administration, accounting, reporting, and program oversight
functions.
(2) The grant will be used to supplement and not supplant
funds from other sources related to the treatment of lupus.
(3) The applicant will abide by any limitations deemed
appropriate by the Secretary on any charges to individuals
receiving services pursuant to the grant. As deemed
appropriate by the Secretary, such limitations on charges may
vary based on the financial circumstances of the individual
receiving services.
(4) The grant will not be expended to make payment for
services authorized under section 201(a) to the extent that
payment has been made, or can reasonably be expected to be
made, with respect to such services--
(A) under any State compensation program, under an
insurance policy, or under any Federal or State health
benefits program; or
(B) by an entity that provides health services on a prepaid
basis.
(5) The applicant will, at each site at which the applicant
provides services under section 201(a), post a conspicuous
notice informing individuals who receive the services of any
Federal policies that apply to the applicant with respect to
the imposition of charges on such individuals.
SEC. 203. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
The Secretary may provide technical assistance to assist
entities in complying with the requirements of this title in
order to make such entities eligible to receive grants under
section 201.
SEC. 204. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this title:
(1) The term ``official poverty line'' means the poverty
line established by the Director of the Office of Management
and Budget and revised by the Secretary in accordance with
section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1981.
(2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health
and Human Services.
SEC. 205. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
For the purpose of carrying out this title, there are
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2003.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).
General Leave
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 762, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today in support
of H.R. 762, the Lupus Research and Care Amendments. This important
measure addresses the devastating, devastating, I underline
devastating, disease of lupus. It was introduced by my colleague, the
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek), who lost her sister to
complications from the illness.
Lupus is a disease which causes the body's immune system to attack
its
[[Page H9533]]
own cells, resulting in progressive damage to all organs. It affects
more than 1.5 million Americans. The vast majority of patients who
suffer from lupus are women, and a disproportionate number are
minorities. Most women are afflicted in their childbearing years,
making it difficult for them to work and care for their families.
H.R. 762 expands lupus-related activities of the National Institutes
of Health in the areas of basic research, epidemiology, treatment,
diagnosis, and public and health care provider education. It also
authorizes project grants for the delivery of essential services to
individuals with lupus to be administered through local governments,
community hospitals, and other nonprofit health care facilities.
By enhancing research on lupus, the bill before us will speed the day
when a cure is found for this terrible disease. H.R. 762 will provide
early diagnosis and disease management services for lupus patients. It
will also increase outreach and expand patient care among low- income
populations. Further, the initiatives authorized under this measure
will provide a road map for other private and public programs to help
victims of lupus.
H.R. 762, Mr. Speaker, has the support of 245 cosponsors in the
House; and it was unanimously approved by the Committee on Commerce
last month. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of
this very important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs.
Meek) for her dedication on the issue of lupus and her successful
effort to put together widespread support for this bill in Congress.
This bill has special meaning for my colleague, and I am proud to be
one of the bill's 243 cosponsors.
H.R. 762 provides a blueprint for combating lupus, a complex and
lethal autoimmune disorder for which there currently is no cure. Lupus
affects nine times more women than men, disproportionately more blacks,
Hispanics, more Asians, and is most commonly diagnosed in individuals
between the ages of 15 and 45.
The ability of lupus, as well as other autoimmune diseases, to strike
someone as young as 15 years old speaks to the need for expanded
research. Lupus is not universally fatal. Young people with lupus are
capable of living active lives, but diagnosis is difficult. There is
not a test for lupus, and young people will continue to suffer and die
from lupus without our help.
I am pleased that autoimmune disease research was included in the
children's health bill now awaiting the President's signature.
Autoimmune diseases are unique. Research on one, like lupus, can
benefit many others in a synergistic sort of way.
The bill sponsored by the gentlewoman from Florida is a responsible
investment in our Nation's health, and I urge its passage.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs.
Meek), the author of this bill, who has fought on this issue for months
and months and years and years.
(Mrs. MEEK of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and
extend her remarks.)
Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding
me this time. It is a very proud moment for me. It also is a moment of
personal feeling at this time. I lost my dear sister to lupus and many
of my very close friends.
I want to thank the chairman, the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Bilirakis), for having gone with me for quite a few years. I first
applied for this bill in 1995, and it has been back and forth. But now
we are at the point where he has pushed, as chairman of the
Subcommittee on Health and Environment, and now the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Brown), as his ranking member. We have 243 people in this Congress
who feel this is important.
I am pleased to rise in support of it because it is going to expand
and intensify the research part of lupus. NIH each year has done
something toward the application of research to lupus, but now we are
asking that this be a mandate of NIH to be sure that they expand
research efforts, so it will make it much easier to diagnose this. This
is a crippler, Mr. Speaker. It is a crippler and it is a killer. It
catches women in their childbearing years, and it is time we put
research into it to find out about it. There is very little known about
this disease, too little known about it with its crippling effects.
Since my arrival at the House in 1993, I have urged the Congress to
direct NIH to mount an all-out campaign against lupus. If any of my
colleagues have ever seen or talked to someone who suffers from this
disease, they will surely understand why. My colleague, the gentlewoman
from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), and I have also fought for this in our
Dade County. We have found a great number of Hispanic and black people
who are certainly besieged by this terrible disease.
I want to assure my dear colleagues that if we pass this bill and the
Senate takes it up and passes it on to the President, and if he signs
it, we will have alleviated in the future, I am sure, a great deal of
pain and suffering.
I want to thank the Speaker, and I want to thank the minority leader,
the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the gentleman from Virginia
(Mr. Bliley), the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Dingell), and chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Florida
(Mr. Bilirakis), to be sure, as well as the ranking member, the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), of the subcommittee. If it were not
for the top of the tickets here pushing this bill, I do not think it
would have come to this floor.
A word of thanks to the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations,
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the ranking member, the
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), and chairman of the Subcommittee
on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Porter). And here I want to take a special moment to
thank the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Speaker. Every year, every time
the appropriations bill came before him, we did not have any kind of
legislation that would authorize it, but he still added money to the
NIH budget because he saw the very, very deleterious effects of this
disease.
{time} 1530
So I certainly want to thank all those people and last, but not
least, my 244 colleagues who have cosponsored this bill for bringing
their help in bringing this bipartisan measure to the floor.
I want to especially thank Duane Peters and Lee Peckarsky of the
Lupus Foundation of America and all of the dedicated lupus volunteers
from all around America who work so tirelessly to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot today about lupus. It is an
autoimmune disease that afflicts women nine times more than it does
men. It has its most significant impact on women during the child-
bearing years. About 1.4 million Americans have some form of lupus, one
out of every 185 Americans. Many of them do not even recognize that
they have it. Many think they have arthritis or some kind of rheumatoid
disease because the diagnosis is so very hard.
Lupus disproportionately affects African-American women. The
prevalence of lupus among African-American women is three times that of
white women. We do not yet know why this is so. This is one of the many
mysteries about lupus that still needs to be resolved.
Thousands of women with lupus die each year. Thousands of women die
from complications caused by lupus. Many other victims suffer
debilitating pain and fatigue, making it difficult to maintain
employment and lead normal lives. Many women who have young babies and
have lupus cannot even hold their children. Lupus is devastating not
only to the patient but to family members, as well.
My bill authorizes appropriations of such funds as are necessary for
fiscal year 2000 through fiscal year 2003 for lupus research so badly
needed, Mr. Speaker. The education that goes along with this bill is so
badly needed and the treatment, as well.
So this also empowers the Secretary of the Department of Health and
Human Services to protect the poor and the uninsured from financial
devastation by limiting charges to individuals receiving lupus services
pursuant
[[Page H9534]]
to the grant program, the way that we do under the Ryan White CARE Act.
It is very important, Mr. Speaker, that we realize that this is a
bipartisan bill that has been carried through this process by both
Republicans and Democrats for the benefit of the people of America.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman
from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and thank the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Brown) for their leadership in this legislation and the
chairman and the ranking member. I am also proud to be a co-sponsor of
this important legislation.
But I would really like to shower applause down on my good colleague
and friend the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) for the leadership
that she has offered and the persistence that she has offered not only
on the floor of the House and tracking this bill through Commerce, but
working every year diligently with the appropriators to provide funds
for research regarding this devastating disease.
Lupus kills. I lost a very dear friend, a young mother, who did not
get a chance to see her children grow up. And then I have a dear friend
named Pat who lives valiantly with lupus but yet suffers every day. Her
enthusiasm for being alive was seen through her hard work in organizing
a Lupus Day walk to raise funds in Houston.
I want to encourage those around the Nation who want to educate
people about lupus to continue to go out and walk and to have walks
that will raise private money and along with federal funds we may find
a cure for this disease that strike down young women.
Lupus does kill. It disproportionately affects African-American
women, as the prevalence of the disease among such women is three times
the prevalence among white women and an estimated one in 250 African-
American women between the ages of 15 and 65 develop the disease. But
it affects all women. And more than 1.4 million to 2 million Americans
have been diagnosed with the disease and there are many more
undiagnosed cases because sometimes people do not know what they have,
they just feel they have a few aches and pains. But yet, if they are
not diagnosed, they can ultimately die from the disease.
I want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) for the $33
million that was allocated in 1996 for the National Institutes for
Health to do more research. This is an important legislative
initiative. Every time we can come to the floor of the House in a
bipartisan way to save lives of Americans, I think, Mr. Speaker, that
we are doing what the American people would want us to do.
I hope this legislation will be taken up in the Senate. And I believe
that, with the passage of this legislation, we will be able to save
many more lives and be on the pathway for doing more to improve the
health of all Americans.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
(Mr. PASCRELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Brown) for yielding me the time.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by acknowledging my colleague, the
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek), for her hard work, determination,
and advocacy on behalf of those with lupus. This is an issue that the
congresswoman has been working on for a very long time. And I am
pleased to see that the leadership is working in a bipartisan way to
bring this legislation to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, this should be the way we should handle all matters in
these final, final days. We need to do here for those least able to
help themselves. I think that should be the barometer. It will help us
through these tough days.
This is a serious, complex, inflammatory, autoimmune disease that
affects women nine times more often than men. Oftentimes those
suffering from lupus are not diagnosed in a timely manner. I have seen
that happen to close friends. They remain in pain and the sickness
progresses.
It has been estimated that between 1.4 and 2 million Americans have
been diagnosed with this disease and that many more have undiagnosed
cases.
The victims of the disease suffer debilitating pain and fatigue,
making it difficult to maintain employment and to lead normal lives.
This critical legislation will correct the oversight that was made in
the past by providing increased funding for NIH scientific and clinical
research and for improved patient access and care measures. It will
ensure that every person who suffers from this disease will receive the
highest quality of care possible.
The funding will also improve the quality, availability, and the
organization of health care and support services for individuals with
lupus and support services for their families.
I wholeheartedly support the passage of this legislation and
encourage all my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Towns).
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by first congratulating my
colleague, the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek), of course and the
ranking member of the subcommittee, as well.
Let me just say that this is a very important piece of legislation.
As we walk and we talk to people who are suffering from this disease,
we think about the fact that maybe we need to do more. I think that
this is a giant step in the right direction because we need to do more
in terms of research and need to make certain that treatment is
available to those that suffer from this illness.
I think that access to treatment is very, very important. I think
that when we look at many people in some of the rural areas of this
country that are having great difficulty getting treatment, I think
that this is the right step.
I would like to again congratulate my colleague from Ohio and, of
course, my colleague from Florida, both colleagues from Florida, for
their outstanding work in this effort and to say to them that they
probably do not realize how many lives they are saving and how many
people that are encountering all kinds of difficulties that they are
going to make life better for all of them. And I want to salute them
for that.
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, just very quickly. This is a very, very important piece
of legislation, and we are all very pleased to have been a part of it.
An awful lot of hard work went into it.
The personal staff of the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) and my
personal staff, Anne Esposito particularly, and the Committee on
Commerce both majority and minority staffs are really to be
congratulated. They are responsible for this more so than the rest of
us.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for support of this legislation.
Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of
H.R. 762, the Lupus Research and Care Amendments of 1999. I am proud to
be a cosponsor of this legislation to expand and intensify the research
efforts of the National Institute of Health to diagnose, treat, and
eventually cure lupus.
Lupus is a very serious illness that causes the body's immune system
to attack its own cells. More people suffer from this little-known
illness than from cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, sickle cell
anemia, cystic fibrosis, and AIDS combined. Although lupus may occur at
any age and in either sex, 90 percent of those affected are women.
During the childbearing years, lupus strikes women 10 to 15 times more
often than men. More than 1.5 million Americans have been diagnosed
with this terrible disease. Many more cases go undiagnosed, since the
symptoms of this disease tend to wax and wane with passing time.
H.R. 762 would require the Director of the National Institute of
Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to expand its research
activities on the disease lupus, especially with regard to its
increasing prevalence among women. The bill expands lupus-related
[[Page H9535]]
activities at the Institute into the areas of basic research,
epidemiology, treatment, diagnosis, and public and health care provider
education. H.R. 762 also authorizes project grants to improve health
delivery services through local governments and to community hospitals.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 762 would provide the needed support to NIH in
their works towards making medical breakthroughs in the fight against
lupus. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting in support of
the lupus research and care amendments.
Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 762, the Lupus
Research and Care Amendments. I want to commend my good friend and
colleague, Representative Carrie Meek for her steadfast advocacy for
this excellent legislation. Lupus is a debilitating and sometimes fatal
auto-immune disease that disproportionately afflicts women,
particularly women of color. Today's vote brings help and hope to
approximately 1.5 million Americans with lupus, and their families.
H.R. 762 accomplishes two goals. Title I recognizes the National
Institute of Health's (NIH) present research activities on the many
facets of this disease through the National Institute of Arthritis and
Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and the Autoimmune Diseases
Coordinating Committee. It authorizes appropriations to expand and
intensify these activities with emphasis on earlier diagnosis, better
treatment, and an eventual cure. Epidemiologic studies and education
about lupus for the public and health professionals will also be
undertaken with funds made available by this bill.
Title II addresses on-going primary care and treatment needs of poor
and uninsured individuals with this expensive-to-treat and debilitating
disease. It authorizes the Secretary to award care grants to local
governments, community hospitals, health centers, and other nonprofit
health facilities for the provision of out-patient care and a breadth
of support services to affect individuals and the family members who
are involved in their care. The holistic treatment and support services
provided by H.R. 762 will diminish the sense of isolation that is
concomitant to chronic illness by weaving a safety-net of services.
This an excellent bill and I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting its passage today.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to join my good friend and
colleague, Congresswoman Carrie Meek, as we move forward and pass H.R.
762, the Lupus Research and Care Amendments.
This bill would amend the Public Health Service Act and require the
Director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and
Skin Diseases to expand and intensify its research activities on the
disease lupus, especially with regard to its increasing prevalence
among African-American and other women.
This bill will expand lupus-related activities at the Institute into
areas of basic research, treatment, diagnosis, and public and health
care provider education.
Mr. Speaker, lupus is an autoimmune disease, passage of this H.R.
762, will leverage H.R. 4365, ``The Children Health Act of 2000'' which
was recently passed by this House.
Title XIX of this bill, ``NIH Initiative on Autoimmune Diseases'',
requires the Director of NIH to expand, intensify, and coordinate the
activities of NIH with respect to autoimmune diseases. This includes
forming an Autoimmune Diseases Coordinating Committee and Advisory
Council that will develop a plan for NIH activities related to
autoimmune diseases and to require different institutes within NIH to
provide a detailed report to Congress specifying how funds were spent
on autoimmune diseases.
Recently, the American Journal of Public Health published a study
demonstrating that autoimmune disorders are among the top 10 leading
causes of death among women under 65, indeed today, three-quarters of
the 13.5 million Americans afflicted with an autoimmune disease are
women.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 762, to support the health of
our nation's citizens.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gibbons). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 762, as amended.
The question was taken.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________